Small but interesting museum about the history of Harrogate and the waters that made it famous. The displays were interesting but a little dated, and for £4.40 each we spent about an hour here.

Intriguing collection of items related to the Royal Baths. Small museum set in a lovely building.

I really enjoyed our visit last week. Lots of interesting history about the area, its spa background as well as the fashions and ideas of the 19th century during Harrogate’s heyday. It’s an old-fashioned museum with lots of plaques and still exhibits but I like that! I spent a little over an hour there reading almost everything. £4.40 entry.

It wasn't what I expected but it was a very well set out museum with lots of exhibits and information. The lady who greeted us was nice, friendly and very helpful.

This was a lovely museum to visit about Harrogate's spa town history, located appropriately next to the Valley Gardens and concession tickets are available! The museum showcases the cabs used for transportation across different classes and also discusses how the railway developed into Harrogate during the 19th century with the town relying originally on Brunswick station before a central one was built, after turnpike roads had been developed the previous century for easier transport then. Pretty shop window displays are held here to demonstrate the popularity of Harrogate as a shopping location which became all-year round after starting as a seasonal trend; across from these a hotel room that would've been worked in is replicated too! Vintage manufacturing and laundry displays are featured in the musuem; nearby them are unique medical instruments and bottles from when Harrogate was the UK's first town to offer bottled water. The info here about the town's spas dates back to 1571 when the first well was built which seemingly resembled Belgium as it follows along with the different wells and baths, right up until their decline around 1930! Seeing the baths present in this museum is fascinating with detailed info about how they worked, particularly when people were bathed in peat before going into what was known as a combination shower to clean themselves off. Old wells can be viewed still in their places under the building through a glass section of the floor and a counter where water would have been served is maintained inside backed by black-and-white photographs of the servers, artwork represents Harrogate's appeal as a wealthy town! Story of how the railway came to Harrogate's centre after the station opened first at Brunswick in 1848 is shown alongside rail luggage on a carrier; traveling musicians across the street are focused on too!